Weekly speaks to the PMSD leader and former finance minister Xavier-Luc Duval on what it’s like to be out of power after nearly a decade, the terms of negotiations with the MSM and the ML and on the entry of his son, Adrien Duval, into politics.

 

It’s very positive. Everyone has been very kind and supportive and very sympathetic to the cause I am defending. Also, we are on the eve of an electoral campaign, so I have been very busy. This campaign will decide the fate of this country, not just for the next five years but possibly for the next 40 years, since the two leaders are planning to change our constitution. I therefore feel it’s my duty to canvass people around the island to share my views on what is happening.

 

Well, there are certainly some people who treat you differently when you are no longer viceprime minister and minister of finance. That is certainly true. But it is a good thing since this enables you to be rid of people who are not sincere.

 

I have no disappointment whatsoever regarding the few people who did not follow us into the opposition. You cannot change their nature. And that isn’t a problem for me. To be honest, I have been disappointed by one single person. Terribly disappointed!

 

Ishwur. That’s all I’m prepared to say.

 

I will say nothing more.. He’ll recognise himself. But it was a stab in the back.

 

No, that is not true. The party has shown exemplary solidarity. At the Financial Services Commission, Marc Hein, who was a political appointee, resigned.

 

Ninety-five per cent of the board members resigned but we asked ambassadors to stay in place because they would have had to move their families etc. We also asked all full-time employees to stay in post as well for family reasons. Amongst the political appointees, Froget and Allet stayed but the others all left.

 

I always expected that. Not everyone has the same approach to responsibility towards the party and the nation.

 

We’ve only been talking to the Mouvement Socialiste Militant (MSM) and the Mouvement Liberater (ML) for a short while. We do not want to rush into things. We want everyone to be comfortable with the arrangement. We aren’t talking about how to campaign for a few weeks. We are talking seriously about how to form the next government. It’s about proposing a government which will be comfortable in towns and villages. My ambition for Mauritius is different from what we have witnessed for the last nine years. I want a better future for Mauritius. Politics is the art of the possible and we will do what we can to make that better future possible. And I am not bitter about the break-up of the Labour Party-Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate (PMSD) alliance. We did well, but we could have done so much more together. I now have renewed ambition for my country.

 

At this stage, we are talking concretely about three parties, the MSM, PMSD and ML.

 

At present, there are only three parties on the train.

 

It may have to but I just hope it’s an express train. It is a train but it isn’t a gravy train. To get there, it takes convincing people, being persuasive. This is happening at the moment.

 

(Long silence) If, at some stage in life I have the opportunity to serve in that position, I’ll be honoured to do so. But realistically speaking, that’s not for tomorrow. Maybe being prime minister is the destination – but not the next station.

 

It will be a shared government. We will be happy with what is proposed. All the components of the population will be happy with that.

 

That’s what we are presently discussing. It is inappropriate to discuss such details in a newspaper at this point. It will eventually become public at some point.

 

It is inappropriate to discuss hierarchy. But as a person, I am equally happy to work with both of them.

 

He’s a lawyer and is very keen to enter politics. Actually, both my sons are keen. But Alexandre is in London. Adrien has just turned 24 and his entry into politics is still being debated in the family.

 

I think Adrien himself wants to be in that constituency because he wants to overcome the existing ethnic hurdles. I have not decided where he should stand as a candidate.

 

He’s still young and he has a lot of time. He’s just got into his profession.

 

‘Duval’ is not a dynasty! It’s a brand! And this is not unique to Mauritius. It is a reality the world over. Look at the US, India or France…

 

I’m not surprised at all by what he said. He has never appreciated my work.

 

You do not know what I’m asking for!

 

First, I must say that we are talking about investitures for the MSM on one side and then the other investitures going to the other partners. Whether your figure is right or wrong, it represents investitures for all the other parties. So Tengur is wrong!

 

Why do you use nasty terms like ‘leftovers’?

 

Yes, the remainder will be divided between the PMSD and the ML.

 

There haven’t been any problems amongst the three of us, and certainly not between the ML and the PMSD.

 

Listen, we are talking about forming the next government for the coming five years. We have to go into every detail and that takes time!

 

(Long challenging silence) Do you have doubts about that? Do you think we are fighting for empty seats? Is that your conception of how the opposition works?

 

The whole question is to find the best possible people. Not just in terms of gathering votes, but also to represent their constituents and be able to participate actively in government. We have far too many candidates and that is the problem. We are presently shortlisting.